The Vortex/Cold Snap Occultist Build Guide (PoE Betrayal 3.5)

Introduction

With the launch of 3.5 Betrayal league, skills like Vortex and Cold Snap got a huge damage buffs. There also has been an indirect buff to such cold damage over time skills, and this is indeed the introduction of Cold damage over time multiplier stat. The Occultist ascendancy class also had some additions that complement cold damage over time themed builds, Void Beacon and Frigid Wake both improve the damage potential, along with bringing a lot of quality of life with the Chill and Freeze immunity.

When properly geared, the Vortex and Cold Snap Occultist can easily achieve over 12k energy shield. Being very tanky is kind of mandatory when it comes to endgame in the Betrayal league, considering how hard some syndicate members hit. Your main damage source is Vortex, which has the potential to kill tough targets like The Minotaur in less than a minute. Cold Snap can be used in sticky situations in order to nuke enemies from a far. The build also utilizes strong curses in order to weaken the enemy even more.

Build Summary

The Vortex and Cold SnapOccultist can be very expensive when it comes to perfect endgame items, but can also be played on a budget. Before transitioning to Chaos Inoculation you can easily play hybrid up until level 70-75. The flat energy shield from both Wicked Ward and Vile Bastion will help a lot in the transition. With very little investment you can reach more than 7k energy shield by level 70. Some of the more expensive items when it comes to endgame are definitely the weapon and a well rolled Vaal Regalia.

Pros & Cons

Pros

+ Hardcore viable+ Very versatile, can do most map mods+ Can be started on a budget

Cons

- You have to spend a lot of currency to reach full endgame potential- Damage over time build play style might not appeal to some players

Playstyle

The Vortex and Cold SnapOccultist has a different play style than most caster builds you have played. Your main goal is to get close to enemies and drop down a Vortex that will obliterate enemies shortly after. Utilizing Phasing, which removes unit collision, allows you to run through packs of monsters and drop a Vortex in the middle of a pack.

Offensively, Phase Run will give you the needed Phasing in order to pass through enemies, the additional movement speed it provides is also very useful, considering you mainly depend on running around when it comes to mobility. Running in a pack of monsters and casting Vortex is the core of the play style of this build. Use Cold Snap to improve single target damage and clear from a far when needed. Elemental Equilibrium can be utilized by using Storm Brand and Orb of Storms. Frost Bomb can be used to reduce enemies’ cold resistances even further.

Defensively, the huge energy shield pool and the great amount of sustain you have by being an Occultist makes you very hard to kill. Cast when Damage Taken Support and Immortal Call will prevent the occasional dangerous moments when killing porcupines. The build can run both Enfeeble and Temporal Chains in order to make enemies very slow and reduce their damage done. Vigilant Strike with its threshold jewel is a great way of having Fortify effect all the time.

Ascendancy, Passive Tree, Bandits and Pantheons

Ascendancy (Witch – Occultist)

Wicked Ward

Vile Bastion

Void Beacon

Frigid Wake

Wicked Ward provides a lot of flat energy shield and great way to sustain your energy shield pool. Vile Bastion provides stun immunity when you have energy shield, which is mandatory for every energy shield-based build. The additional way of sustaining your energy shield pool and the flat 150 amount is also great addition. Void Beacon acts as a debuff aura to nearby enemies, reducing their cold resistance and stopping them from regenerating life. Frigid Wake adds a lot of cold damage over time multiplier, which improves the builds damage a lot. Freeze and Chill immunities frees up ring slot, since you would have to use Dream Fragments otherwise. Every 4 seconds you also have chance to Freeze even bosses, which proves to be very powerful in certain situations.

Note: It is recommended to go for Wicked Ward and Vile Bastion first, since this will allow for much smoother and cheaper transition into Chaos Inoculation. Void Beacon and Frigid Wake provide a lot of damage which will be handy when it comes to mapping later on.

Passive tree

When it comes to main sources of damage, Breath of Rime, Fingers of Frost and Spiritual Aid are the three big ones that you should aim for before you start mapping. In order to transition into Chaos Inoculation you will need at least 180% energy shield on the passive skill tree.

Note: For passive skill trees prior to the absolute endgame refer to the leveling section of the build guide.

Bandits

The Act II quest Deal with the Bandits presents few character choices for us. Considering the build does not benefit from helping any specific bandit we choose to kill them all for the two additional passive skill tree points.

Pantheons

Major:Soul of Solaris is very good when it comes to raw damage reductions. When this pantheon is fully upgraded it is best in slot for this particular build.

Minor:Soul of Abberath is good in every energy-shield-based build for the immunity to burning ground. Soul of Gruthkul provides additional physical damage reduction which can be useful, considering you are running into melee range.

Gems

The build’s main skill is Vortex, which you should ideally use in a 6-Link. Cold Snap works as a secondary damage source. For mobility you should use Flame Dash, which will also provide Arcane Surge basically for free. Both Temporal Chains and Enfeeble are extremely strong defensively and will render your enemies hopeless. Vigilant Strike is used for the long Fortify you get, especially when combined with The Vigil. Phase Run helps out by providing additional movement speed and make you less likely to get hit. Gems that are triggered by your Scepter with the mod “Trigger a socketed spell when you use a Skill” are simply used in order to proc Elemental Overload and lower enemies cold resistance via Frost Bomb. The usual Cast when Damage Taken Support and Immortal Call gem setup is used in order to prevent deaths from Porcupines.

Vortex (6-Link)

Vortex is your main skill. You should run into packs of monsters and drop down a Vortex, which will obliterate every foe with its powerful degeneration effect. The following gem link is universal and can be used for both clearing and single target encounters.

Flame Dash (3-link)

Flame Dash is your mobility skill. It will help you jump over some map terrain, which will save you time. It is also providing Arcane Surge with every cast, which gives additional mana regeneration and spell damage. Make sure to keep the Arcane Surge Support gem at low level in order to trigger it with every Flame Dash cast.

Discipline

Immortal Call (2-Link)

Thisis a standard Immortal Call gem setup used in most builds in order to prevent deaths from the nasty Porcupine mobs. The physical damage immunity this gem setup provides for a split-second is enough to prevent damage from all the splinters from Porcupine’s exploding corpses when they die at the same time. Both gems should have level requirement of 40.

Gearing

When it comes to defensive capabilities you should spend your currency first on a high energy shield Vaal Regalia and 300+ energy shield off-hand Shield. For more damage output you should spend your currency on a Scepter.

Helmet

A well rolled energy shield helmet is best in slot for the build. When it comes to enchantments from the labyrinth you can use any Vortex enchant or you can look for an Enfeeble, Temporal Chains, Discipline enchant. The Rare Affix priority is:

Energy shield (at least 250)

Elemental resistances

Body armour

Well rolled Vaal Regalia is the best in slot chest piece. The Rare Affix priority is:

Energy Shield (at least 500)

Elemental resistances

Gloves

Well rolled energy-shield-base is best in slot for gloves. The Rare Affix priority is:

Energy shield (at least 100)

Elemental resistances

Boots

As other items, well rolled rare energy shield boots is best in slot. Meanwhile you can use Sin Trek. The Rare Affix priority is:

Movement speed (at least 25%)

Energy shield (at least 150)

Elemental resistances

Belt

Any well rolled Crystal Belt or Stygian Vise can be used early on. For a complete endgame goal you should look for a rare belt with “Grants Level # Aspect of the Spider Skill”. Bated Breath can be used before any of these rares. The Rare Affix priority is:

Amulet

Solstice Vigil is the best in slot amulet for the build, although it can be expensive. Essentially it allows you to run Aspect of the Spider along with your curses on Blasphemy Support and Discipline. Prior to this amulet you can use any rare amulet with desired attributes and resistances. The Rare Affix priority is:

Elemental resistances

Dexterity / Strength

Energy shield

Rings

Considering the build is kind of socket-starved one of the rings should be Unset Ring. The other should be a regular well rolled resistance ring. You do not need to use Dream Fragments since you are immune to Chill and Freeze via the Occultist’s Frigid Wake. The Rare Affix priority is:

Energy shield

% Faster start of energy shield recharge (crafted via crafting bench)

Elemental resistances

Dexterity / Strength

Weapon

A well rolled rare Scepter can provide a lot of damage to the build. Spine of the First Claimant is a great leveling/budget choice. The Rare Affix priority is:

Shield

Well rolled rare shield is best in slot. The Rare Affix priority is:

Energy shield (preferably 300+)

Elemental resistances

Flasks

Playing Chaos Inoculation build allows you to use only utility flasks. Considering you mainly rely on running for mobility Quicksilver flask is mandatory for the build, it should be rolled with additional movement speed. Quartz flask provides additional dodge chance and Phasing, which will allow you to run through monsters in order to drop a Vortex in middle of monster packs, it should be rolled with Shock immunity. Stibnite flask creates a smoke cloud, which blinds nearby enemies, it should be rolled with Bleeding immunity. Basalt flask provides 15% physical damage reduction, it should be rolled with Burning immunity. Sulphur flask has a great duration, this is why it should be rolled with Curse immunity.

Jewels

The only unique jewel that is recommended for the build is The Vigil, which allows for an easier way to have the Fortify effect up most of the time. Besides that, rare jewels should be used for additional offense and defense.

Regular Jewel Affix Priority

Energy shield

Cold Damage over Time Multiplier

Any Spell/Damage Over Time increase

Elemental resistances

Abyssal Jewel Affix Priority

Chance to gain Onslaught for 4 seconds on Kill

Energy shield

Leveling

Leveling the Vortex and Cold SnapOccultist should be fairly easy. You can start using the skills as soon as you get them, they have enough damage to carry you through game’s leveling content. As long as you have good movement speed Vortex feels great while leveling since it is an instant cast and you can just run to next zone while dropping vortexes in order to kill enemies that follow you. You should play with a hybrid life pool until you are ready to spec into Chaos Inoculation. While leveling you should pick up some life nodes on the passive skill tree, which you will respec later on.

Leveling trees

At this point you are ready to spec out of the life and spend the points on energy shield and go for Chaos Inoculation if you have the gear for it. First you should head to Breath Rime, then go for Elemental Overload, use Storm Brand or Orb of Storms in order to proc it. After that pick the life near Scion and then go for Spiritual Aid. Lastly, head to Fingers of Frost.

Useful Leveling Unique Items

As you begin a new character there are few unique items that can boost your power exponentially. Tabula Rasa allows you to have a 6-Linked skill as early as you get the gems. Wanderlust gives a decent movement speed, which will make your leveling that much more efficient. Goldrim provides a lot of elemental resistances, this will let you worry less about gearing when approaching certain Act encounters. Lifesprig will help out with the damage output early on.

Gem Progression

Using Tabula Rasa will allow you to have 6-Link gem setups early on, which is why we show such examples below. If you cannot get Tabula Rasa (or another item with a 6-Link), then simply prioritize the first gems in each link provided below.

In order to acquire gems that are not available to your class as a quest reward, simply ask a friend to buy them off vendors for you, or buy them yourself from Sioasa in The Library in Act III Library.

FAQ

When Should I go CI and How Much Energy Shield Should I Have at That Point?

If you have decent gear you can go Chaos Inoculation as early as level 60-70. Consider that you should have Wicked Ward and Vile Bastion if you want to do that first. You should also be using Dream Fragments until you ascend into Frigid Wake. With decent gear you should easily achieve 7-8k energy shield at the very least.

Conclusion

The Vortex and Cold SnapOccultist is one of the safest builds to play at the moment – partially due to its high end damage potential, as well as its powerful disabling skills. With ample debilitating curses and Aspect of the Spider at its disposal, it hinders enemy movement considerably and renders them helpless to your Vortex onslaught.